A dog owner is calling for a change in the law after his puppy was killed by another dog in a holiday park.
Jason Gonsalves was walking his two dogs, one-year-old Yorkshire terrier puppy Tinkerbell and three-year-old Angel, in harnesses at the Kingfisher Holiday Park in Burgh Castle, near Great Yarmouth, when the attack happened.
Mr Gonsalves, 42 and who lives on the park with his wife Katrina, says two Staffie-cross type dogs approached them and despite lifting his two dogs above his shoulder, one of the dogs attacked them.
Angel was bitten on her hind leg and then the attacking dog is said to have locked his teeth on Tinkerbell’s ribcage and started to shake her.
Mr Gonsalves says another person in the park tried to come to Tinkerbell’s aid by wielding a wooden stick, but Tinkerbell was killed, devastating his owners.
A distraught Mr Gonsalves informed the police, but because the incident was “dog on dog” he said it was not logged as an offence.
After the attack on Wednesday, July 25, Mr Gonsalves set up a petition on the website www.change.org demanding the law be changed so dog owners can be prosecuted if their pets attack other dogs.
He said: “I still feel very angry at the moment. There is nothing that can bring Tinkerbell back. The police can do nothing as it was called dog on dog. We are devastated.
“My three-year-old dog Angel is alright. She only got bite marks to her hind leg. She did go to the vet and the vet gave her the all clear.
“I am lucky we still have her but we also wish that our puppy Tinkerbell was here.”
As of Sunday afternoon 125 people had supported Mr Gonsalves online petition, with comments such as: “There should be better laws to protect animals, they have feelings and emotions too. They’re not just pets they’re family.”
Mr Gonsalves said he plans to launch a private prosecution against the owners of the two dogs and he has also contacted Great Yarmouth MP Brandon Lewis asking him to support a change in the law.
Mr Gonsalves petition can be found at www.change.org/p/rspca-a-change-in-law-for-dogs-that-kill-other-dogs
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